Protected's recent activity
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Comment on Neuromancer | Teaser trailer in ~movies
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Comment on Neuromancer | Teaser trailer in ~movies
Protected Link ParentAt this point I'm not entirely sure if it's too late, or more relevant than ever. It would be a wildly polarizing show in any event, given how its conclusion is that Click to expand spoiler....At this point I'm not entirely sure if it's too late, or more relevant than ever. It would be a wildly polarizing show in any event, given how its conclusion is that
Click to expand spoiler.
progress for a people can be achieved by having every kid raised by an AI in a tablet...
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Comment on Survey: The temperature in my room now is _____ and it feels _____ in ~talk
Protected Link26-27 Celsius. It feels fine, it's not too humid today. If it's too humid, I'll run air conditioning to bring it down to 24 or so (typically in the evening). If it's dry, I'm fine up to maybe 29?...26-27 Celsius. It feels fine, it's not too humid today. If it's too humid, I'll run air conditioning to bring it down to 24 or so (typically in the evening). If it's dry, I'm fine up to maybe 29? 30+ has historically been my conveniently rounded "I'm uncomfortable" temperature.
In the winter these days I aim for 20 or higher. I feel colder than I used to as a kid, probably in no small part due to having been overweight in my teens and 20s. And portuguese people are wusses when it comes to cold ;)
The humidity here never drops below 50% unless something very unusual is going on. In the winter I run a dehumidifier all day set to bring the humidity down to 70%, pulling several litres of water (about two tanks) from the air per day. Right now averaging a couple WU stations it's about 75% outdoors, probably 60 something indoors.
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Protected LinkAfter completing Big Hops (23 very fun hours - read my writeup from last week, which is also in this comment section) I got started with Upalu Mundi, a generous gift from @xavdid , thus...After completing Big Hops (23 very fun hours - read my writeup from last week, which is also in this comment section) I got started with Upalu Mundi, a generous gift from @xavdid , thus discharging my commitment to playing it sooner rather than later, and to leave a Steam review:
This is a great puzzle game about optimizing railroad connections for transporting items between two points in a grid with constraints. It looks quite scary at first due to the busy UI and dense text, but it turns out to actually be based on pretty simple and straightforward rules and a small number of easy to use design tools. You don't even have to read the documents (though a lot of people will enjoy the snark) as the first batch of levels are bite-sized tutorials for the various elements of the game. You can also see in-game how well your friends did in each level compared to you!
It seems to run just fine on Linux (Arch), so I imagine it will run fine on your Steam Deck.
The reason I did this a little earlier than I'd planned is because as part of the Steam Train Fest, which is only running another 24 hours, you can buy this 40% off if you're interested. And it's already a very cheap game to begin with.
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Comment on You can vote on the design of the next Euro banknotes! in ~design
Protected Link ParentI don't remember exactly which designs matched which letter but I really liked artistically some of the designs I rejected as banknotes when answering the survey. I can say I do like the idea of...I don't remember exactly which designs matched which letter but I really liked artistically some of the designs I rejected as banknotes when answering the survey.
I can say I do like the idea of using the birds or scenes with people, public squares, parks, etc. I disliked most of the buildings and the idea of using historical figures (I respect them, but so unoriginal!) But practical considerations are also important. Legibility, very distinctive color schemes (as we've had in past banknotes) and harmonious layouts.
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Comment on Ukrainian drones hit more sites of Russian online retailer Wildberries in ~society
Protected LinkEarly in the war Russia kidnapped thousands of Ukrainian children and deported them far from their homes, never to return. It's hard to find words to describe the feelings and emotions caused by...Wildberries founder and Russia's wealthiest woman Tatyana Kim said earlier on Wednesday (...) "There are no words to describe all the feelings and emotions caused by the attacks on ordinary people (...) we must continue to do what we do for the benefit of people."
Early in the war Russia kidnapped thousands of Ukrainian children and deported them far from their homes, never to return. It's hard to find words to describe the feelings and emotions caused by that, either. I think you're a greedy conniving oligarch, you don't give a shit about the people, and you should really just stop doing what you do, Tatyana.
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Comment on You can vote on the design of the next Euro banknotes! in ~design
Protected Link ParentH and B for me! I don't think the vertical designs can possibly be popular. That's not the position most people's bills are when they're taken from their wallets, so it's actively causing friction.H and B for me!
I don't think the vertical designs can possibly be popular. That's not the position most people's bills are when they're taken from their wallets, so it's actively causing friction.
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Comment on France becomes the first EU country to ban social media for children in ~tech
Protected Link ParentThey require adults to provide ID, of course...They require adults to provide ID, of course...
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Comment on The Filipino virtual assistants behind LinkedIn’s “thought leadership” content mill in ~tech
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Comment on The Filipino virtual assistants behind LinkedIn’s “thought leadership” content mill in ~tech
Protected Link ParentBack when I deleted my account, my thinking was: Do I want to work for people who value this shit?Back when I deleted my account, my thinking was: Do I want to work for people who value this shit?
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Protected LinkMy friends and I finished Lingo 2 (100%). I was right in my initial impressions - the chaotic charm of the original was traded for a more polished and consistent design. The author claims it's a...My friends and I finished Lingo 2 (100%). I was right in my initial impressions - the chaotic charm of the original was traded for a more polished and consistent design. The author claims it's a bigger game, but we finished faster, possibly also because we're just better at those puzzles by now. Finding things was the only significant hassle. Still fun though!
I needed something to get the bad taste from MOTORSLICE off my mouth so I started Big Hops, a traditional 3D platformer from my list that I bought during the sale. I've already spent longer on it than on MOTORSLICE and I'm happy to say that it's really good!
Big Hops is the charming, colorful, cozy tale of a little frog child named Hop who wanted to see the world, but gets more than they bargained for when they get kidnapped by an, uh, interdimensional jerk called Diss. Diss entices Hop to collect certain orbs for him in exchange for skill boost trinkets, but Hop isn't buying it and is independently trying to find parts to build an airship that they can use to go back home.
Hop is very athletic and has a good range of platforming moves that, ironically, make them considerably better at parkour than the high tech, chainsaw wielding protagonist of MOTORSLICE. The main way they interact with the world is through their long tongue, which can be used to grab fruit and insects, pull levers and springs, swing or pendulum off fulcrum points, and even pick locks. But in addition, Hop can also climb, wall run, crouch jump, swing from bars, air dive and belly slide. Everything feels polished to perfection. The camera doesn't fight you, the levels aren't pitch black for no reason, and it's satisfying to chain moves together for crossing wide spaces. The only thing Hop is bad at is swimming, a funny shortcoming for a frog that is mentioned on several occasions (I think they will learn though).
Another mechanic of this game - possibly my favorite - are the fruits. Hop can grab all kinds of objects and store them in their backpack, and this includes several types of fruit that, in addition to being edible, have certain effects upon the world when thrown. One fruit throws ropes. One bounces. One sets things on fire, and so on. Because you can take things with you anywhere, that means even if you can't nail the platforming you can always devise your own solutions for bypassing complex obstacles. There are no invisible walls. You can go anywhere as long as you're creative enough!
This game doesn't feature combat as such - even boss fights are platforming and parkour based - but there are many other things to do. You can collect different items of clothing for Hop and dye them in different colors. You can grow plants and make your own stamina juice. You can collect insects - the first time Hop finds a new variety of insect, they'll cheerfully describe it out loud and name it - did I mention the game is fully voice acted? It's all very accessible and family friendly; I think this is a game a child might enjoy that might whet their appetite for other platformers. And finally, there are side quests and extra challenges.
Playing this game right after MOTORSLICE makes the latter look so much worse in comparison. It annoys me that they both cost the same. I wish I could get my money back and just pay for this one twice. And it's absolutely worth paying full price for.
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Comment on The Filipino virtual assistants behind LinkedIn’s “thought leadership” content mill in ~tech
Protected LinkEverything I ever read about Linkedin makes me question my sanity. What a vast monument to nothing at all.Everything I ever read about Linkedin makes me question my sanity. What a vast monument to nothing at all.
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Comment on Ten US states pass balcony/plug-in solar legislation this year (three more expected soon) in ~enviro
Protected Link ParentThanks for correcting the "double Virginia"!Thanks for correcting the "double Virginia"!
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Comment on Silicon Valley has a science fiction problem in ~tech
Protected Link ParentHe is, you know! Kind of a... national socialist, if you will.Musk claimed that he himself was a socialist
He is, you know! Kind of a... national socialist, if you will.
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Comment on Feedback for a beginner singer in ~creative
Protected Link ParentHigh five, fellow Kiss From A Rose lover! You all should join us for VRChat karaoke one of these days. We don't gatekeep, typically everyone is welcome no matter how they sing (if someone happens...High five, fellow Kiss From A Rose lover!
You all should join us for VRChat karaoke one of these days. We don't gatekeep, typically everyone is welcome no matter how they sing (if someone happens to be an ass, they are unwelcome; moderation isn't always available unfortunately).
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Comment on Feedback for a beginner singer in ~creative
Protected Link ParentHi there. This is your first song I hear so I can't speak of your progress but here's some first time advice. A big disclaimer first of all that I'm not any kind of certified professional who...Hi there. This is your first song I hear so I can't speak of your progress but here's some first time advice. A big disclaimer first of all that I'm not any kind of certified professional who knows what he's talking about, so I apologize for the haphazard recommendations. I'm sure someone will tell me off in short order.
You have a nice voice but you are going a little off pitch sometimes. Have you been using scales for practicing? I think you might benefit from singing scales if you want to level up, going slowly at first. You don't have to try to deliberately push your range. Instead, focus on control: For each note, you want to sustain the same, correct pitch for a set duration (you can use online videos of learning platforms as a guide, or even just some kind of piano or synthesizer).
Think of it as trying to operate your voice as a musical instrument. Control the rate at which your lungs are forcing air up through your throat, and constrict your throat to modulate the pitch of your singing, holding these things to sustain a note. Don't be surprised when certain pitches exhaust your breath faster than others, and certain pitches require you to sing more quietly than others. Singing loudly and confidently is great, but if you have to choose, prefer control (unless that's deliberately not the vibe of the song, of course).
I was lucky enough to have a decent education in the basics of music (not singing!) when I was a kid attending school, and I think it worked quite well so I'm a big believer in basics. I sing scales all the time just for the heck of it.
(But also, don't stop singing songs!)
Some lifestyle habits can also help. Dairy apparently mucks up your throat, but I can swear for hot water and honey when singing. Also aerobic exercise improves your lung capacity!
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Comment on Jet Lag Season 18: Stateside Scramble | Trailer in ~hobbies
Protected Link ParentI have a history of being fairly good at eyeballing sizes and I wouldn't have been able to do this challenge in an efficient amount of time. It's a really hard thing to do, especially compared to...I have a history of being fairly good at eyeballing sizes and I wouldn't have been able to do this challenge in an efficient amount of time. It's a really hard thing to do, especially compared to most other challenges in the season.
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Comment on Jet Lag Season 18: Stateside Scramble | Trailer in ~hobbies
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Protected Link ParentI had a lot of fun playing this but they definitely didn't think through the balance between length/grind and making people play multiple times. One playthrough was enough for me!I had a lot of fun playing this but they definitely didn't think through the balance between length/grind and making people play multiple times. One playthrough was enough for me!
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Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
Protected Link ParentI noticed it's on your wishlist. Lorelei is a little difficult to describe in that regard. Most of the time it's just kind of a dead, desolate world. You are pretty much always "alone" except for...I noticed it's on your wishlist. Lorelei is a little difficult to describe in that regard. Most of the time it's just kind of a dead, desolate world. You are pretty much always "alone" except for an old woman lying quietly on a bed and a labrador, who you can pet. He's a good boy.
When is Lorelei and the Laser Eyes spooky?
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Sometimes you will meet A Man, or The Man. He'll randomly come to you in the hotel when you do certain things that advance the plot, and have an interaction with you. You will progressively learn about him throughout the game. You never see his face. He may be unsettling because of his unsettling demeanor, because he loves brandishing a revolver, or because of you not expecting an interaction in a seemingly empty hotel, but that's all. Typically you hear the sound of footsteps before the beginning of the cutscene, although you'll also find him waiting in a couple locations.
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There are some very mildly unsettling scenes. A skeleton. A dead body. They don't move.
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The game features manifestations of the "supernatural" on occasion, including visits to a "spirit world" (spirit world locations flip the palette, using cherry red as the primary color). When you are close to something supernatural you are always forewarned by Lorelei's glasses flashing red. The closer you are, the more they flash.
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There is a ghost that appears almost at the very beginning of the game floating through a certain room. After that she will be waiting in a specific room and not move anymore. This is the first of two things you might actually find spooky, but it's a one and done thing.
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Finally, and this might be the most unpleasant to you, which is why I'm spoiling it (it's also the biggest spoiler here) - at one point nine ghosts will be "released" into the hotel. They all look the same. After this happens, a ghost will approach you at regular time intervals and chase you down until it touches you (or you can just turn around and touch it). Despite the flashing glasses forewarning you, this may be a little unsettling due to happening unexpectedly and regardless of where you are. The ghosts want to play a memory game with you and will reward you with Pages (maybe it's the tormented ghost of Atrus ;) ). You need to play all of the scenes and get all of the pages in order to complete the game so you might as well go and get it over with. After all nine memory games have been completed the ghosts stop coming.
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Click to expand spoiler.
To be clear, I like the Primer as it was set up for the two protagonists - that is, with barely any AI in the first place. Even in the story, this is of course immensely expensive and not feasible for everyone. I just wish the story had ended differently...